When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together, and one of them,
a scholar of the law, tested him by asking,
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him,
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
— Matthew 22:34-40
The peace of the Lord be with you. This is such a poignant message, particularly at this time. That loving our neighbor is second only in importance to loving God. We can do this in so many ways. Feeding each other, visiting each other, protecting each other, seeing the dignity we each possess… the list is endless. Each human life independent of the ability to reap or sow carries with in it the divine spark. So to see that light in each other is to see is see that Holy Presence and give Glory to God.
Heavenly Father, help us to see your divine presence in all those we meet today and inspire us to serve each other, protect each other, honor each other without counting the cost. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.